Happybellies dry cereals contain probiotics, which "aid in digestion and boost the immune system," and omega-3 fatty acids, which "aid the early infant brain and eye development while potentially protecting against the development of future allergies, including those leading to asthma, and eczema and, as the latest study shows, diabetes.

Writing in the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy, Waser and co-workers report that consumption of raw milk, whether boiled or not, was associated with a reduction in the occurrence of asthma by 26 per cent, hay fever by 33 per cent, and food allergy by 58 per cent. No effect was observed for eczema.

Kissing after eating food containing peanuts could lead to the development of nut allergies, according to a team of medical specialists. "Kissing is essential for a child's development and we do not advocate avoidance of kissing, but caution against high-saliva-volume kisses soon after peanut consumption in infants with eczema," they say.

A food allergy is an immunologic response to a food protein. It is estimated that up to 12 million Americans have food allergies of one type or another, and the prevalence is apparently rising. Six to eight percent of children under the age of three have food allergies and nearly four percent of adults have them. Food allergy causes roughly 30,000 emergency room visits and 100 to 200 deaths per year in the United States. The most common food allergies in adults are shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and eggs, and the most common food allergies present in children are milk, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts.At this time, there is no cure for food allergies. Treatment consists of avoidance diets, in which the allergic person avoids all forms of the food to which they are allergic. For people who are extremely sensitive, this may involve the total avoidance of any exposure with the allergen, including touching or inhaling the problematic food as well as touching any surfaces that may have come into contact with it. Food allergy is distinct from food intolerance, which is not caused by an immune reaction.Persons diagnosed with a food allergy may carry an autoinjector of epinephrine such as an EpiPen or Twinject, wear some form of medical alert jewelry, or develop an emergency action plan, in accordance with their doctor.